1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to image transfer, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for thermally transferring an image from a thin flexible backing containing the image onto an outer cylindrical surface of a cylindrical resilient material.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
The use of a silk screen process for transferring an image onto an object is well known in the art. A major disadvantage of this process, however, relates to the application of multiple colors The silk screen process allows for the application of only one color at a time. If a multiple-colored image is to be transferred, it is necessary to make as many passes as there are colors. This creates two disadvantages. The first disadvantage is the additional time required to make the additional passes. The second disadvantage is the difficulty of precise alignment, that is, the indexing of the object and the screen so that the object and the screen are properly aligned for the second and subsequent passes. The proper alignment of the second and subsequent passes is critical to insure that the second and subsequent images are properly overlaid.
One specialized area of concern is the image transfer onto a cylindrical resilient material such as an insulating cover for a beverage container of conventional design. The popularity of insulating covers for 12 once cans such as soda cans, juice cans or beer cans has increased over the past years. Furthermore, the popularity of imprinting these insulating covers with advertising material or other material has also increased in recent years. Virtually all of the insulating covers have been imprinted using the silk screen process.
Heretofore, the imprinting of these insulating containers has been restricted to a single color utilizing the silk screening process. The restriction to a single color is due to the fact that the insulating covers are resilient and are incapable of receiving and reliably retaining an index mark. As should be well known to those skilled in the art, an index mark is necessary for multiple printing with different colors using the silk screen process.
The thermal transfer of an image from a thin flexible backing is also well known in the art. This process overcomes the indexing and multiple-pass problems of the silk screen process by allowing for the transfer of a multiple- colored image on one pass. However, the process of thermal transfer of an image from a thin flexible backing onto a cylindrical material which is resilient has not heretofore been reliably accomplished in the prior art. More specifically, the process of thermal transfer of an image from a thin flexible backing onto an insulating cover for a beverage container of conventional design has not heretofore been accomplished in the prior art.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for thermally transferring an image from a thin flexible backing containing the image onto an outer cylindrical surface of a cylindrical resilient material.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for thermally transferring an image onto a cylindrical resilient material such as an insulating cover for a beverage container of conventional design.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for thermally transferring an image onto a cylindrical resilient material which provides permanent and multiple-colored images on an insulating cover for a beverage container of conventional design.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for thermally transferring a multiple-colored image onto an insulating cover for a beverage container without the need of index marks.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for thermally transferring a multiple-colored image onto an insulating cover for a beverage container which may be mass produced at a cost commensurate with the cost of a single color silk screen process.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for thermally transferring a plurality of multiple-colored image onto an insulating cover for a beverage container.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for thermally transferring a multiple-colored image onto an insulating cover for a beverage container which provides a permanent and reliable image transfer.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for thermally transferring a multiple-colored image onto an insulating cover for a beverage container which may be accomplished in a totally automated process.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for thermally transferring a multiple-colored image onto an insulating cover for a beverage container which may be accomplished in a semi-automated process using unskilled workers.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.